AKRON, Ohio — There's a new way to contact 911 for help in Summit County: Dispatchers can now receive word of emergencies through text messages.
Dispatch leaders say the best way to reach out for help is still through a phone call, but this is another tool in the box for people who are in dangerous situations where texting is safer than calling, as well as those in Summit County who are hearing impaired.
"For people that aren't able to speak, they have struggled to get through to 911 in a quick and efficient manner," said Leigh-Ann Slaughter, deputy director for the Summit Emergency Communications Center. "So this allows us to reach even more residents that have situations where they're not able to make phone calls."
The way it works is to simply text details of the emergency to the phone number "911," as long as you are within Summit County's borders. Dispatchers will respond to the text with questions to get the information needed to send the appropriate help.
Another advantage of the new system is that it translates different languages.
"It will auto-translate non-English speaking languages for us so that users can receive the information in the questions back that the dispatcher's asking in their own language, and then we will receive the answers back in English," Slaughter explained.
There are a few dos and don'ts: It's important to keep messages short and to the point, describe your emergency, and make sure you're texting with a wireless service provider.
"Please just stick to plain language," Slaughter added. "Don't use any abbreviations or slang, emojis, videos, or group chats.
Apps such as WhatsApp and Messenger can't be used at this time, officials confirm.